Game apparatus.



No. 820,310. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906. B. NOREM & W. SANDBERG. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 26, 1904.

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No. 820,310. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906 B. NOREM & W. SANDBERG.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26., 1904.

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GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 1906.

Application filed November 26, 1904, Serial No. 234,376.

To all whom it Wm concern:

Be it known that we, BERNHARD NOREM and WILLIAM SANDBERG, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to game apparatus, its principal objects being to provide an entertaining game in the successful playing of which considerable skill may be displayed.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of our invention applied to a table, parts being broken away and in section. Fig. 2 is a full top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the piece-support looking from the left in Fig. 2, the flexible way being in section. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the delivery end of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail through the reel and more closely adjacent parts, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional detail through the delivery chute.

A designates a table the size of which adapts it to receive the apparatus. At one side of the table adjacent to its edge is placed a standard 10, having at its lower end an enlargement or foot 11. Coacting with this foot and with the table is a clamp B, one member, 12, of which is forked at 13 to embrace the standard, while the othermember, 13", contacts with the under side of the table edge. Fixed to one of the members (here shown as that numbered 13) is a screw 14, projecting through an opening in the com panion member and having a nut 15 operating upon the opposite side thereof. Through the outer end of the member 13 is threaded a screw 16, adapted to be turned into coaction with the extremity of the member 12. The position of the nut 15 having been adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the foot and the table to bring the clamp members into substantial parallelism, the screw 16 is forced against the member 12, thus pressing the inner ends of the clamp members against the table and foot and securing the standard in place. The upper end of the standard is preferably reduced and threaded at 17 and enters a threaded opening in a boss or projection 18 from the under side of a table or piece-support 19. This table, which is shown as generally circular in form, is surrounded by a rim 20 of suitable height, except that at one side there is a space at 21 where the edge of the table or piece-support is flattened. Upon the upper face of the table or piece-support is a set of index-marks 22 to indicate the proper positions for pieces or tenpins 23.

Depending from the under side of the table adjacent to the edge 21 are hangers 24 24, in which is journaled a shaft 25, carrying a reel 26, to which is fixed the end of a ribbon or flexible way 27. At one end of the shaft is secured a head or finger-piece 28, while upon the opposite end is fixed a ratchetwheel 29, with the teeth of whichcoperates a pawl 30, pivoted upon the adjacent hanger. Along the flattened edge 21 of the table is a strap having a space in alinement with the reel through which the ribbon may pass,

With its upper edge lying substantially in the plane of the upper face of the table.

At the opposite side of the table in alinement with the reel is situated a sectional standard, the lower member 31 of which has a foot 32, fixed to the table edge by a clamp B, which may be in all respects similar-to that previously described. In the upper end of this standard-section is an opening to receive a second section 33, which may move therethrough and be fixed in position by a screw 34, threaded through the section 31 into its opening. Near the upper end ofthe section 33 is a groove 35, which receives and retains in position a loop 36 from a bar 37, which is secured to the outer end of the ribbon 27 and preferably projects beyond it-ateach side. A

At the upper extremity of the section 33 is mounted a delivery-chute 37 it being so arranged that it may be turned or swiveled upon the section so that its angular relation to the ribbon may be varied.

' At each side of the portion 21 of the table is shown a hook 38 to receive eyes 39, secured to the ends of flexible members or cords 40. The opposite ends of these cords are attached to projections 41 from a bar 42, which may have a looped portion 43, adapted to engage the upper portion of the standardsection 31, it being retained against downward movement by the screw 34. The position of the hooks 38 and the bar projections 41 is such that the cords lie outside the edges of the ribbon throughout its length. Upon the cords is supported a flexible return-way 44, which consists of a strip of fabric having at its opposite sides hems 45, through which the cords run.

In use the piece-supp0rt and deliverystandard having been secured in place by their clamps the ribbon is drawn ofl the reel, the pawl of which is first lifted until there is a suflicient length to permit the loop to be passed over the delivery-chute into engagement with the groove in the standard-section 33. The pawl is then allowed to drop into engagement with the ratchet-teeth, when by turning the finger-piece of the reel-shaft the proper tension may be put upon the ribbon. The cords are stretched between the hooks and bar and the return-chute drawn along them to extend the entire length of the rib bon, the inclination of this member being downward from the support to the deliverystandard. The pieces 23, having been placed upon the support 19, the upper standard-section is raised to incline the ribbon downwardly toward the support, this height being varied to suit the person playing. A ball C is then placed upon the chute and upon being released rolls down the ribbon and strikes the pieces, overturning certain of them. Considerable difliculty may be experienced in directing the ball against the outer pieces; but this may be facilitated by varyin the angle of the delivery-chute and the inc ination of the ribbon, the latter being conveniently tilted by means of the projecting ends of the bar 37. If the ball becomes displaced in transit over the ribbon, it will fall into the lower chute and return to the player. The play may be conducted and the score kept in the manner usual in bowling or various modifications may be made, as the players desire.

Although the apparatus has been described as separable from the table upon which it is mounted and adapted to be knocked down into compact shape for storing away, it will be evident that the standards may be permanently fixed to a support or base.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a loosely-mounted bar and a niece-support, of an inclined flexible ribbon connecting said bar and support and furnishing an inclined way, and means on the piece-support for tensioning the ribbon.

2. The combination with a piece-sup ort, of a flexible ribbon furnishing an inclined way leading downwardly to said support, and means for varying the tension of the way. 3. The combination with a piece-support,

of a reel rotatable thereon in proximity to 'the ribbon.

7. The combination with a piece-support, of a sectional standard, and a flexible way connecting the support and the upper section of the standard.

8. The combination with a piece-support, of a standard, a flexible way connecting the support and standard, and a dclivery-chute carried by the standard and having one end extending over the way in proximity to the way.

9. The combination with a piece-support, ota standard, a flexible way connecting the support and standard, and a delivery-chute carried by the standard and having one end extending over the way in proximity to the Way and being movable on said standard.

10. The combination with a piece-support, of a standard, a way connecting the support and standard, flexible members leading from the support to the standard, and a second flexible way movable along said members.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNHARD NOREM. WILLIAM SANDBERG.

Witnesses:

A. J. BoE, O. SANDBERG. 

